Woman Sues Virginia Beach Motel Owner Over Bedbug Infestation

David Mittleman

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A woman is suing an Oceanfront motel owner, after she and her infant son ended up sharing the bed with some unwanted guests: bedbugs. Michelle A. Scott is seeking $100,000 in compensation for her infant son’s medical bills, alleging that the boy was seriously bitten and scarred by bedbugs.

Scott has filed a complaint with the Virginia Beach Circuit Court against Dan Perella, the owner of La Coquille Motel on 16^th Street in Virginia Beach. However, Perella maintains that the boy was already covered with scabs when Scott checked in to the motel and that she informed him that her son had chickenpox. Furthermore, he also argues that although he doubted there were bedbugs in the room, he moved Scott and her son to another one of his properties, the Flagship Resort Inn. Nevertheless, the city health department received a second complaint of bedbug infestation at La Coquille in May, as well. Ms. Scott’s incident occurred in February, and Erin Sutton, the environmental health manager for the city’s public health department, said it was a “complete infestation” in the single room that Scott occupied.

This is not the first lawsuit that Perella has faced ovebedbugsr bedbugs, either. He also had problems at another hotel that he owns: the Castle Motel on Pacific Avenue was shut down two years ago because of a bedbug infestation. The guest, who sued him over the Castle Motel infestation in 2007, won their $10,000 settlement.